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EspañolPhiladelphia Phillies center fielder Johan Rojas is facing an 80-game suspension after failing a performance-enhancing drug test, according to The Athletic. He is reportedly appealing the test results.
Rojas was previously slated to compete in the World Baseball Classic for the Dominican Republic, but he is no longer listed on the team's roster. He reportedly dropped out of the tournament last week.
Per The Athletic, the positive test came during the offseason. It's currently unclear what Rojas tested positive for, though he did reportedly fire an agent he had hired earlier in the offseason.
His failed test was the second notable PED development in the NL East on Tuesday, as Atlanta Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar is facing a 162-game violation for a second offense.
While not yet official, the suspension wouldn't be great timing for Rojas in general. He entered Phillies camp coming off a down year at the plate — slashing .224/.280/289 — and competing for a bench spot, with top prospect Justin Crawford favored to take the team's starting spot in center field on Opening Day.
Now, Rojas is likely to sit out until late June and could have an uphill battle for playing time. He remains a defensive standout in center field, but his offense opened up center field for Crawford in the first place.
As of Tuesday, Rojas has hit 1-for-11 with no extra-base hits, 2 stolen bases, 1 walk and 4 strikeouts in five Spring Training games.